Ropes are typically configured to transfer a load between two structures. To facilitate the transfer of the load from each of the structures to the rope, the rope ends must be secured to the each structure. One method of securing a rope end to a structure is simply to tie or wrap the end of the rope to the structure or a specially designed piece of hardware rigidly connected to the structure.
Alternatively, the rope may be terminated at one end or both ends to facilitate the mechanical engagement of the rope to the structure or associated hardware. One method of terminating a rope is to form what is typically referred to as an eye at an end of the rope. A rope eye defines a closed loop that may be placed over the structure or associated hardware.
To form an eye, the rope is looped to form the eye and then spliced back into itself in a splice region adjacent to the eye. Typically splicing techniques result in a thickened rope portion in the splice region adjacent to the eye. Such thickened rope portions can adversely affect the operation of the rope in some operating environments, and the need thus exists for rope structures and methods of forming rope structures that do not result in a thickened rope portion adjacent to the eye.